EP1248694B1

EP1248694B1 - Debris collection device and method

Info

Publication number: EP1248694B1
Application number: EP01901271A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christopher Styles
Original assignee: DustBubble Ltd
Current assignee: DustBubble Ltd
Priority date: 2000-01-20
Filing date: 2001-01-19
Publication date: 2006-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-19
Also published as: CN1173801C; JP2003521382A; DE60123014T2; CA2394042A1; US20030000695A1; ATE339272T1; WO2001053037A1; CN1395519A; AU2693001A; HK1047906A1; DE60123014D1; GB0001310D0; EP1248694A1; US6997653B2

Abstract

A collection device for use with a drill to capture debris ejected from drilling into a surface includes a body formed of flexible material having a first, substantially flat, configuration and a second erect configuration defining a cavity. The body includes a hole for receiving a drill bit into the cavity when the body is erect and adhesive means for adhering the body to the surface.

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a debris collection device for collecting dirt, debris and the like that is particularly useful when used in conjunction with rotary drills, and a method of collecting debris using such a device.
A device according to the preamble of independent claim 1 is known from document GB 2 212 080 A.

Background to the Present Invention

When drilling into surfaces using a standard rotary drill, the material drilled out of the surface is normally carried back along the length of the drill and scattered as granular dust or grit in the area directly below where the hole is being drilled. In some cases the quantity of debris generated by drilling a hole is particularly noticeable, for instance, a 10mm hole at a 5cm depth will create nearly 4cm³ of debris that will be scattered about the immediate area, the majority forming a pile immediately below the hole. Whilst in many industrial environments such debris would be unnoticeable, this is not the case in the home. Particularly in the DIY environment, the house-proud occupant and/or their spouse are likely to require sheeting to be put down in the vicinity around the drilling and for the area to be vacuumed immediately afterwards to avoid making the house dirty with the dust and debris. Furthermore, tables and ornaments must either be covered or removed unless they are to be thoroughly cleaned afterwards.
A related complaint is often raised against service installers (telecommunications and cable TV installers in particular) who drill many holes at a customers house to install their services, but rarely clean up after themselves.
In many circumstances, it is highly desirable for the dust and debris falling from a drilling operation to be completely collected without large amounts of preparation by laying sheets and alike. In particular, in installing fixtures in a newly decorated room or drilling holes near sensitive electronic equipment that cannot easily be moved and the debris may be potentially damaging to the equipment, a simple debris collection mechanism would be desirable.
Other than using sheeting to catch the majority of the debris, no simple and inexpensive mechanisms for controlling the spread of such debris is known to be available to small-scale installation operators or to the home DIY market. Complex systems involving vacuums to suck away the dust have been developed over the years, but this usually requires additional vacuum pumps and ducting, and the vacuum is rarely powerful enough to carry all the dust and debris away.
UK patent publication number 2278190 discloses a hand tool for use with a drill. The hand tool includes a hollow body of solid construction having a through hole through which a drill bit may pass. The hand tool is held against a surface to be drilled using a handle and during drilling debris from drilling passes into the hollow body. Such a tool partially solves the problems of capturing dust and debris created while drilling. However, the tool requires a hand to hold it to the wall leaving only one hand to hold and guide a drill which for many people is not enough. If a heavy drill is used or the user needs two hands to hold or guide the drill, a further person would have to be involved to use the hand tool. The tool is only usable if drilling is perpendicular to the surface to be drilled due to the alignment of the through holes and solid body. In addition, the user's hand is close to the drill bit when drilling which may prove to be unsafe. Furthermore, having a solid body exposes the hand tool to wear around the portions that contact the drill bit. This is addressed by use of a chuck-impact ring shield or washer in the above document. However, the use of a combination of parts, some of which must be removable and replaceable increases the complexity and overall cost of the device.
GB-A-2212080 discloses a drilling debris retention container which comprises two sheets of thin material sealed along its edges. A double sided adhesive layer affixed to its back forms an attachment of the container to the surface being drilled and a seal between the container and surface. A hole corresponding to the size of hole being drilled passes through all three layers. The hole is centered over the spot to be drilled to allow the bit to pass through the container. During the drilling process debris is extruded from the material being drilled into the container.

Statement of Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention as per independent claim 1, there is provided a collection device for use with a drill to capture debris ejected from drilling into a surface comprising a body formed of flexible material having a first, substantially flat, configuration and a second, erect, configuration defining a cavity, a hole for receiving a drill bit into the cavity when the body is erect, adhesive means for adhering the body to the surface, and a number of tabs around the hole for use in pulling the body from the first configuration to the second configuration.
A method of collecting debris using such a device is the subject of independent claim 19.
In use the device envelops the portions of the drill bit that carry dust and debris out of the drilled hole. The body is temporarily fixed to the surface such that there is a seal between the body and the surface so that ejected dust, debris and the like has no choice other than to pass into the cavity. Preferably the seal is immediately around the area to be drilled so that no dust is trapped between the body and the surface. In the cavity, the dust and debris either falls off the drill bit into the cavity for collection or is pushed off the surface of the drill bit into the cavity as it reaches the back of the body. The device of the present invention is a simple yet effective construction which may be easily mass produced. Furthermore, depending on the material of construction, the device may be fully re-usable or used a number of times before disposal
By being temporarily fixed to the surface, the device allows the user's attention and both hands to be used in holding and directing the drilling. Thus, the device solves the problem of capturing dust and debris without increasing the complexity of the drilling action.
The device is supplied in a substantially flattened or flat-packed state that can be opened or otherwise erected to form the cavity prior to, or during, use. The flattened or flat-packed device requires minimal packaging for sale and allows the device to be pressed against the surface to attach it.
Preferably, the first surface includes two tabs, the tabs being on opposing sides of the through hole. The tabs may form part of a reinforcing portion around the through hole. In order to make devices of cheap, lightweight, material the reinforcing portion, possibly formed as a separate layer, may be arranged around the through hole to counter wear and tear from rubbing of the drill bit.
The joint between the first surface and the second surface may be openable to enable the cavity to be emptied. Alternatively, the body may include a re-sealable opening to enable the cavity to be emptied.
The attachment means preferably comprises an adhesive layer such as double sided sticky tape.
The adhesive layer may include a removable cover for protection of the adhesive when not in use. The body may comprise one of rubber, plastics, reinforced paper/ or silicone-based paper.

Description of the Drawings

An example of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, front and rear views of a collection device according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a collection device according to the present invention when in use; and,
Figure 4 is the cross-sectional drawing of Figure 3 showing the collected debris.

Detailed Description

Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, front and rear views of a collection device according to the present invention. The collection device comprises a body 10 having a front surface 20 and a back surface 30. The front and back surfaces 20, 30 are joined to each other around their perimeters (the joint is marked by a dash-dot line) to form an enclosed central area 40. The front surface 20 includes a through hole 50 capable of accepting a drill bit. The through hole 50 is preferably smaller or of the same diameter as the intended drill bit to be used. However, the size of the through hole is not essential to the operation of the device. In practice, a device with a 10mm hole is used for all drill bits without adverse effect. Equally spaced either side of the through hole 50 are two tabs 60, 70 attached to the front surface 20. The back surface 30 includes an adhesive area 80 permitting adhesion of the body 10 to a surface.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a collection device of Figures 1 and 2 when in use. To use the collection device, the body 10 is adhered to a surface 100 such that the through hole 50 is in line with the hole to be drilled. The tip of a drill bit 110 (only part of the length of the drill bit 110 is shown) is pressed against back surface 30 via through hole 50 and tabs 60, 70 are pulled in the direction away from the surface 100. The pulling action forces the hole 50 to expand around the circumference of the drill bit 110 and the front surface to separate from the back surface to form a cavity 120.
Alternatively, the device may be adhered to the surface 100 and erected using the tabs 60, 70 prior to insertion of the drill bit.
Figure 4 is the cross-sectional drawing of Figure 3 showing the collected debris. During the drilling operation, a part of the back surface 30 and adhesive area 80 is drilled away and the drill then enters the surface 100. Due to the remaining seal between the body 10 and the surface 100, dust and debris 130 ejected from drilling into the surface 100 drops from the drill bit 110 into the cavity 120. Once drilling is completed, the body 10 is removed from the surface 100 and can be emptied for further use or disposed of.
The body may be formed from a flexible material that can be flattened but retains its shape when erected. Suitable materials include greaseproof paper, reinforced paper, coated paper, cardboard or silicone-based paper. The adhesive area 80 may be formed from pre-adhered double sided sticky tape or other suitable adhesive. Preferably the adhesive area is screen printed onto the body and a suitable cover is then applied to preserve the adhesive until required.
The material forming the tabs may be part of the body or may be attached to the body. If the material is attached to the body, it may also extend around the through hole to reinforce it. The tabs may be formed as semi-circles or a circle extending around the hole so that they can be grasped from any orientation.
The size of the body and the cavity it can form will largely depend on the size of the target hole to be drilled, as will the strength of the body of the material. The joint around the circumference of the surfaces may be releasable and re-sealable by way of adhesive, velcro, a zip fastening or the like for the body to be emptied. Alternatively, the body may include a re-sealable opening, such as a zip opening or the like described above, away from the joint permitting the body to be emptied.
The body need not be a two dimensional construction, forced into three dimensions upon use, instead it could be a three dimensional construction having a shape such as a cuboid, pyramid, or frusto-cone that is folded or otherwise flattened or flat-packed.
The body may be fixed to the surface to be drilled by adhesive applied to be body, double sided sticky tape, gum or similar adhesive materials. Alternatively, suction or some other form of non-marking attachment means may be employed.
A hole may be pre-formed in the back surface for the drill to pass into the surface or it may be formed the first time the device is used.
Although drilling perpendicular to the surface is illustrated, it will be appreciated that drilling at any angle to the surface can be accommodated by the collection device of the present invention merely by changing the angle at which the drill bit is inserted into the collection device.

Claims

A collection device for use with a drill to capture debris ejected from drilling into a surface, comprising a body (10) formed of flexible material having a first, substantially flat, configuration and a second, erect, configuration defining a cavity, a hole (50) for receiving a drill bit into the cavity when the body is erect and adhesive means (80) for adhering the body to the surface, characterized by a number of tabs (60, 70) around the hole for use in pulling the body from the first configuration to the second configuration.
A collection device according to claim 1, comprising two tabs (60, 70) on opposing sides of the hole (50).
A collection device according to claim 2, wherein the tabs are semi-circular.
A collection device according to claim 1, wherein said tabs are formed by a circle of material surrounding the periphery of the hole (50).
A collection device according to any of claims 3, 4 or 5, in which the tabs (60, 70) form part of a reinforcing portion around the periphery of the hole (50).
A collection device according to any preceding claim, in which the adhesive means (80) comprises an adhesive layer.
A collection device according to claim 6, in which the adhesive layer is comprises double sided sticky tape.
A collection device according to claim 6, in which the adhesive layer is screen printed on to the body.
A collection device according to claim 6, 7 or 8, in which the adhesive layer includes a removable cover for protection of the adhesive when not in use.
A collection device according to claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, in which the means for attaching the body to the surface substantially surrounds the area to be drilled and, in use, creates a seal between the drilled hole and the second surface of the body.
A collection device according to any preceding claim, in which the body is formed from a selected one of greaseproof paper, reinforced paper, coated paper, cardboard, silicone-based paper.
A collection device according to any preceding claim, in which the body (10) comprises two substantially identical sheets joined about their respective peripheries to form the first configuration, wherein at least a central part of one sheet is able to be drawn away from the other surface to form the second configuration.
A collection device according to claim 12, wherein the joint between the sheets is openable and resealable to enable the cavity to be emptied.
A collection device according to claim 12 or 13, in which the two sheets are substantially circular.
A collection device according to any preceding claim, in which the body in the second configuration has a cuboid, pyramidal or frusto-conical shape and is folded or collapsed so as to form the first configuration.
A collection device according to any preceding claim, in which the adhesive means (80) is substantially opposite the hole when the body is erect.
A collection device according to any preceding claim, in which a surface of the body having the hole (50) is adjacent a surface of the body having the adhesive means (80) when the body is in the first configuration.
A collection device according to any preceding claim, further comprising a further hole in the body positioned to be adjacent the surface when the body is adhered to it.
A method of collecting debris ejected whilst drilling into a surface using a collection device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of adhering the body of the collection device to the surface, erecting the body by means of said tabs so as to form the second configuration, inserting the drill bit into the cavity and drilling through the body into the surface, wherein debris ejected from drilling is captured in the cavity.